Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on Thursday approved the notification for creating Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in all seven districts of the Union Territory, completing the process initiated by the Centre earlier this year.
The Centre had announced on July 13, 2026, that LAHDCs would be extended to all seven districts. The move follows the creation of five new districts in Ladakh in April.
LAHDC framework extended to new districts
With the notification, elected local self-governance through LAHDCs will now cover Leh, Kargil, Sham, Nubra, Changthang, Zanskar and Drass.
The system was earlier limited to Leh and Kargil. Its expansion to the five newly created districts is aimed at giving local communities a greater role in district-level planning and development.
Saxena thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the decision, saying the seven councils would strengthen participatory governance and allow local priorities to be reflected more effectively in development planning.
“The creation of Autonomous Hill Development Councils in all seven districts is a milestone in strengthening grassroots governance in Ladakh. This will empower the people and enable development to be more responsive to local needs and aspirations,” L-G Saxena said.
Elections to follow formal notification
According to the notification issued by the Revenue Department of the UT of Ladakh, elections to the newly constituted councils will be held in due course. The election process will begin after a formal notification is issued under Section 8 of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils Act, 1997.
The notification will take effect from the date it is published in the Official Gazette.
Saxena calls it ‘historic day’
In a post on X, Saxena described the development as a milestone for Ladakh.
“A historic day for the Union Territory of Ladakh!
Today, I have approved the notification for the creation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Councils (LAHDCs) in all 7 districts in the Union Territory.”
He said the move would “decentralise and strengthen local governance, ensure true autonomy for our local bodies, and fulfil the long-standing aspirations of our people, at the grassroots level”.
“With the notification in place, the process for elections to these councils shall begin in the due course,” Saxena said.
He also congratulated the people of Ladakh on what he described as a historic occasion.